Smartphone-Yuga is here!

The other day I was travelling in a local train in Mumbai, I happened to observe that most of the people were engrossed in their Smartphones, some were checking out social networking sites, some others were busy playing games on their phones, few were on calls, few others were just exploring the various features available on their smart phones. Only a handful of them had their phones tucked in their bags or should I presume that they were not owning one 😉. But do such individuals exist in this era? Yes they do, there is still a small group of people out there who are reluctant to use the mobile phone and no money is definitely not the issue here they simply do not want to get indulged in it for various personal reasons like they find it cumbersome to handle or they feel that they are unable to take care and will end up losing it, some elderly people find it too complicated and are simply incorrigible. Have just discovered one more reason of not carrying a mobile phone, was taken aback to know that a few don’t want to be accessible so they don’t have one.

But most of the janta today does own a mobile phone these days...I still recollect when mobile phones were just introduced in india a few years back only a few affluent people could afford it, in our family one of my uncles had bought it and showed off his priced possession to everyone. All were so very amazed and impressed after seeing this piece of technology.. they were really going ga ga over it.

A few years later after the introduction of smartphones the game plan become totally different, it literally bought the world at your fingertips. The smartphone has become a significant gadget in our lives to the extent that it has become absolutely indispensable! The old, simpler mobile phone which was just used to make phone calls and send sms got a new fresh sleek look just not externally but internally too.. it has actually became a substitute for a computer in more than one way! As the name suggests it is truly smart what with the ability to perform many of the functions of a computer, typically having a touchscreen interface, Internet access, and an operating system capable of running downloaded apps. It has easily substituted your physical diary, alarm clock, phone book, music sytem, calculator,camera,calender etc. etc.

With the availability of the various health applications available like the one which reminds you to drink water after every one hour , another which computes your calories intake by assimilating your diet, to the one that records your waking steps to reckon the level of activity undertaken are simple and easy tools to measure your health parameter.

But one also has to keep in mind that in this electronic age, time is quickly soaked up by the gizmos. Checking out the phone to see your new Whtsapp messages/videos, glancing through Facebook eats up your valuable productive time and you realise the clock has ticked quickly whilst you were busy on the phone. But at the same time it also helps us to stay connected with friends and family that we do not happen to see regularly.

Kids today are exposed to smartphone at an early age in life, a 2 year old exactly knows how to access Youtube in the phone and play their favourite carton films. The parents today are so busy that they find it convenient to handover the smartphones to kids so that they are kept busy for some time while they go about finishing their daily chores. A couple of years of usage & then the inevitable happens , the kids become so addicted to their smartphones that the same parents are now looking out for various solution to keep the children away from smartphones.

In the malls, gardens, roads, beaches everywhere else, whenever and wherever there is an opportunity people are seen to have an urge to take selfies freely. I recollect once my girls gang decided to have a reunion after a hiatus, the first thirty to forty minutes after we met up we were just clicking pictures. Soon someone wiser in the group realised that we haven’t even exchanged pleasantries, so then we quickly sat down after safely tucking our phones away and started chatting animatedly. Then it was such a beautiful evening in the company of friends we were thoroughly having such a good time.

There have been instances where people have taken the risk of taking a selfie at places which are unsafe/restricted/prohibited thereby putting themselves and others in danger. This has also proved to be fatal where young lives are lost just for the sake of clicking a selfie and impressing others.

So one will actually have to exercise quite a wise restrain over the usage so that it enhances the quality and value of life. Smartphone is at our hands to make our fast paced life easy and convenient, let us all soak in its goodness😊.